E74 

.V8 V2 




The Hayes' Creek Mound, "Indian Bottom Farm," Rockbridge Co., Virginia. 



Explored Sept., 1901, by Edward P. Valentine, 

AT a distance of about three miles from the eastern entrance to the I 
beautiful Goshen Pass stood this prehistoric burial mound, located upon 
the " Indian Bottom Farm" belonging to the estate of Win. Horn, in 
the valley to the east of " Jump Mountain," and about one hundred yards 
directly south of the junction of Walker's with Hayes 1 Creek, being in a 
fertile bottom of about twenty-five acres. 

'I he base was a slightly elongated circle, sixty feet in diameter N. \V. and 
S. E., by sixty four feet N. E. and S. W., altitude four and one-half feet, top 
level ami of thirty-eight to forty-two feet diameter, the whole covered with 
grass and surrounded by a field of corn. The structure was composed of 
alluvial soil, like that of the surrounding valley, and water worn fragments of 
limestone of ten to seventy five pounds weight, similar to those seen in the 
beds of the adjacent streams. 

The centre, at the time of exploration, was assumed to be the true centre, 
to which the location of the objects found was referred. The first step in 
excavating was to encircle the mound by a trench eight feel broad, pene- 
trating the subsoil to the depth of two feet and extending on the outer edge 
four feet beyond the circumference. In this trench human skeletons in an 
excellent state of preservation were found one and one-half to two feet 
below the surface of the sandy subsoil, on the outskirts of the structure to 
the south, and three feet beyond the circumference to the south of west of 
the centre. 

Tw-lve bodies were found at a depth of one and one-half to two feet 
below the surface of the subsoil, and a systematic and continuous burial on 
the surface of the subsoil was exposed. This preliminary work finished, the 
bodies exposed were left in place while the mound was cautiously attacked 
from all sides. A burial level approximately one and one-half feet above the 
subsoil was soon discovered, and in close succession came the exposure of a I 
fourth burial level approximately two and one-half feet above the subsoil. 
In a few days more than one hundred skeletons were uncovered and care- 
fully cleaned by means of pocket knives and wisps of broom straw, and four 
burial levels were clearly in view. Accurate memoranda of the location, 
position, nature and essential details were made and photographs taken of 
the skeletons in situ. The bones allowed to bleach, and hardened by the 
rays of the sun, were carefully removed and spread upon cotton cloths to 
dry, alter which they were packed in boxes cushioned by crumpled news- | 
papers. After removing these exposed remains the work continued towards 
the assumed centre, keeping the excavations well down into the subsoil. 

The skeletons of three hundred and seventy-six men, women and children, 
in a remarkably well-preserved condition, were found in the three upper 
burial levels before the stone pile covering the centre was reached. The 
bodies were lying on their sides, right or left, indiscriminately, with the arms 
folded upon their breasts, the hands being extended in front of their faces, 
the legs drawn up in front of the breasts in such close proximity to the 
bodies as to indicate that the bodies had been bound up in this compact 



for The Valentine Museum. Richmond, Va. 

form before burial. Single burials were frequent, but many bodies were 
found two together, or in groups of three to twenty. Several had from one to 
three large stones upon theii heads and breasts, as if lo protect them from 
disinterment by wild beasts. A small number had shell beads upon their 
necks, but no other objects, organic or inorganic, were found with them. 
The earth had entirely displaced all other organic matter and was clinging 
compactly to the bones. Where the skulls had become tilted so as lo admit 
of entrance, the earth had in many cases completely filled the cavities, 

All of the skeletons showed evidence of having been carefully and 
systematically buried, and most of them were lying tangent to Circles, with 
a common centre five and one halt feet south of west of the assumed centre 
of the mound. In addition to the human remains, skeletons of eight dogs 
were found, some almost perfect, all sufficiently intact lo show clcarlv their 
positions. They had been carefully buried near the human bodies, and were 
lying on their sides with their feel drawn together in front of their bodies. 

Continuing the work, a layer of fine gravel and ashes was discovered. 
Forming a floor on the surface ot the subsoil, one to three inches thi> k and 
thirty tour feet in diameter, with its centre five and one half feet south of 
vvesl of the assumed centre of the mound. At the centre of this gravel and 
ash floor burnt human bones were found, and upon it rested a burial level, 
with the same centre, twenty four feet in diameter, covered by stones, fob 
lowed by two successive burials with intervening stones, the whole covered 
by stones and earth reaching an altitude of four and one half feet to the top 
of the mound. The human remains in this stone pile had evidentl) been 
buried with the same care as those in the earth work surrounding it, but had 
been to some extent dislocated by the settling of the heavy, irregular stones, 
making it difficult at times to trace clearly their positions. 

Fifty <»r more skeletons weir found in the stone pile, twenty eight of which 
had shell beads and pendants on their necks, the majority of those having 
necklaces being women and girls. Otic had upon the neck the tooth of a 
shark, perforated at the root for use as a pendant. 

Two pipes, one of soapstone, the oilier of clay, were found close to the skulk 
of two men located near the centre of the stone pile. No other objects were 
found buried with the bodies, and a < lose search failed to reveal evidence of 
any considerable amount of debris of a former settlement from which the 
earth might have been brought in the erection of the mound. The objei ts 
«»i accidental occurrence were limited to .1 polishing stone of slate, n bone 
awl. ;i spear head, ami a few fragments of pottery. 

Eighty perfect skulls, a number of nearly perfei I skeletons, and the bulk 
of the bones of more than four hundred people, were exhumed and shipped 
lo the Museum for scientific study. 

Jefferson, in his " Notes on Virginia," '■tales that the Massawomees 01 1 u 
pied, to the exclusion of almost every other tribe, the entire region stretch- 
ing from the Blue Ridge to the Ohio River. This burial was therefore in the 
territory of the Massawomees. 



H it* |X * , 

K tint. |>w. vAw'A.'Uu. ilcAUu LtA 



Suit. 

t 11 IV II 1< II 



lO. »~ -~ N r t~ 




H*yU'GNK*k *1 ■ 

ROtlKlllIIUnK COL'KTV, VAi 



REPRESENTATIVE ski M.s. 

FRONT ANO I'HOKII.K VIKWN. 




H*Tn< Cheek Mound, 

ROCKIIRIDOIS CiJUWTY, Va. 



HOD1KS NBA l< OIKCl'M PKIiKW 'K OK MOUND. 



) 

t 




Haviw OB But Mouwn, ■ 

KOCHIIIIIDniCOC'NTV, V». 



MAN AND DOG. 




UtTM' Cburk Mouhd. 

ROCHDRI PQB COL" NTT. Va. 



BODY OF A MAN IN Tll.TKlt POSITION, 



W4<3 



- V? 



